74 Wild Glow-Ups That Turned People's Self-Doubt Into Confidence

A healthy body is a happy body. Physical activity is a big part of being healthy, and many of us might not be moving enough. According to a 2022 WHO report, almost 1.8 billion people worldwide don't get enough physical activity, which puts them at risk of disease. According to the WHO recommendations, we should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week.

What are the risks of not moving our bodies? The obvious ones are heart disease and strokes, but also type 2 diabetes, dementia, and even cancers such as breast and colon cancer. Interestingly, the WHO study found that the regions with the least physical activity were the Asia Pacific region (48%) and South Asia (45%), while in Western countries, it was 28%.

Most of us know the risks of not getting enough physical activity. The problem isn’t that we don’t know what happens to us if we don’t get moving; it’s that we just can't muster enough motivation to do it. Most people start with New Year’s resolutions, and statistics show that 79% of people’s New Year’s goals focus on improving health.

However, about 23% of those resolutions fail by the end of January, and only 9% of Americans manage to keep their New Year’s resolutions until next year. What’s their secret? No magic pill or strategy can help us consistently keep our physical activity and health goals. Certified personal trainer Alena Beskur, ACSM-CPT, explained to the Cleveland Clinic that working out is hard work that takes effort and time.

There are ways to help you stay consistently motivated to work out. According to Beskur, this motivation can be internal or external. Some people might be motivated by external goals: to finish a marathon, to fit into an old pair of jeans, or want to look good for their wedding.

However, research shows internal motivation works better for most people. Beskar says that without a specific “due date,” people are more likely to keep up their exercise routines long-term. “This is often the case for many people who have diabetes or heart disease,” she added. “They become intrinsically motivated because they know exercise will help them in the long run.”

Another mistake that many people make is expecting fast results. Losing weight or building muscle takes time, and it doesn’t happen in a week or a month. According to the NHS, healthy, sustainable weight loss is about one or two pounds per week. Any more than that is probably unhealthy. So is imagining that you’ll be able to do 10 pull-ups the first time you walk into a gym. Setting realistic goals protects you from disappointment, which often leads to abandoning exercise altogether.

Oftentimes, we take our health for granted. We look at working out and physical activity as something akin to punishment. But if we start thinking of exercise as something that nourishes our body, it shifts our perspective towards physical activity in general. As a Sydney-based personal trainer, yoga coach, and health journalist, Cassie White writes, “If you're able-bodied enough to workout, please understand that it's a privilege. There are so many people who do value their health and would love to be in your position, but can't.”